Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 149 : What Took you So Long?

*Eliza*

I finished nursing and rocking the baby to sleep. As I put the baby down for a nap, Lena came into my room waving a piece of paper around.

“What's that?" I arched an eyebrow.

“This is the guest list–at least, the most up-to-date one. Do you want to see?" She held the paper out to me.

“That depends. Has Jared responded?"

Lena frowned, and I already knew the answer before she shook her head.

My chest panged and I clutched my heart. It seemed that Jared wouldn't be attending the welcoming, naming ceremony for his own child.

“There's still time, Eliza. Don't give up hope yet."

I shook myself out of my moment. “It doesn't matter. The naming ceremony isn't even for Jared. It is for my baby."

“That's true." Lena peered into the bassinet and smiled fondly.

“I'm sure he has a lot going on with the pack. With all the renovations Archer told Scarlett about in his letters, I'm sure he's busy. I'll let you know if he RSVPs."

“Thank you, Lena."

The morning of the ceremony arrived and Jared still hadn't responded. Other guests had arrived days in advance to get settled and give me their personal congratulations. I tried to keep my smile on, but I couldn't help but feel like one of the most important people in my child's life had no interest in being here.

Did Jared hate me that much? Had he never gotten his memories back? Did he think if he didn't come, I'd return to the Light Realm and our child would be safe there?

I just wanted to talk to him.

“He's here!" Scarlett burst into the room.

“Shh, the baby is napping!" I jumped off the edge of the bed, my heart in my throat.

“Sorry," Scarlett whispered, crouching down slightly. “I'm sorry, I can't help it, I'm just so excited. He's here!"

A moment of hope flared in my chest.

“Jared?"

Scarlett's excitement drained quickly. “Oh, I'm sorry, Eliza. I… I didn't mean to get your hopes up. Archer just arrived with Gage. Jared isn't with them."

I sighed and nodded. “Well, we should go greet them."

Scarlett's smile returned and she jumped up and down.

We headed to the entryway of the palace. A lot of guests were arriving since it was the day of the ceremony. Scarlett quickly picked Archer out in the crowd. She ran right over to him and threw herself into his arms.

I watched as Archer grinned and spun her around. It was hard to watch them, knowing that Jared wasn't even coming. But I smiled. I couldn't help but be happy for them.

“Archer, Gage." I nodded to them, joining only after Archer set Scarlett down.

“Eliza, you're looking lovely." Archer took my hand and kissed the back of it.

“You're flattering me. Does that mean you don't bring good news?" I arched an eyebrow at him.

Archer gave a sheepish grin. “Actually, the opposite."

“That's right, Jared sent us ahead with a message," Gage added.

“What message?"

“He's on his way. He just had to take care of a few things along the way." Gage nodded and grinned.

He had to take care of a few things? What could be so important that he would risk showing up late to his child's naming ceremony?

“He shouldn't be long," Archer agreed.

“Shouldn't be long with what?" Scarlett asked. She must have sensed my unease with the situation.

I thought hearing that Jared was on his way would be uplifting. I thought I'd feel hopeful. Instead, my stomach twisted uncomfortably, and I got the feeling I wouldn't like the reason he was running late.

“Archer, you better tell us the truth!" Scarlett demanded. She pointed sternly at the floor.

“Alright, Jared is running late because he had to escort Zoe and her baby back home." Archer kept glancing around like he didn't want to make eye contact with me. “It is just a detour."

“Who is Zoe?" I crossed my arms firmly.

“She's nobody," Archer said quickly.

Scarlett rolled her eyes. “She's a refugee from the capital. She was pregnant when she came to Midnight Sun and she saw Jared as her savior, so he was helping her out. She's nothing to worry about, trust me!"

I nodded, but my stomach gurgled uncomfortably. If Jared was prioritizing getting some other woman and her child home, did that mean there was something more personal between them?

“Come on, honey, it is time to get you in your dress." My mother put her arm around my shoulders and guided me toward the stairs. “Your father and brother will be here soon. The whole family is coming."

“How? You told them?" I glanced sideways at her.

“Of course, I told them. They all want to be here to support you."

“Thank you, Mom."

My eyes stung a little with tears. It was a good reminder that I could always fall back on my mom and my family, no matter what.

If Jared didn't come to the naming ceremony, I felt like I should return to the Light Realm. I'd have my family and their support, and my child would be safe.

I just wanted my baby's father to get the chance to be a part of their life.

At this point, I didn't think Jared was coming. He was off with some other woman. It was a good way to show me that he didn't care. I thought of how when I first planned to come to the Dark Realm, I was going to run straight back to the village and see him.

It was a good thing I hadn't done that.

“Cheer up, Eliza. He said he's on his way." Scarlett tagged along with me and my mom.

“I know."

I blinked back my tears, not wanting my mom and Scarlett to see them. They'd both done so much to help make this ceremony special.

Back in my room, my mom did my hair while Scarlett tried on different dresses.

“I know I'm not a guest of honor, but I still want to look good." She twisted back and forth in front of the mirror.

“You just want to look good for Archer," I teased.

Scarlett scoffed and met my eyes through my reflection. I stuck my tongue out at her.

She ran back into the closet and pulled out another dress.

“Is that so wrong? I haven't seen him in a while and I want to make a good impression." Her voice was muffled and far away as she rifled through dresses.

“It isn't wrong. Eliza, has your hair always been this unruly?" My mom groaned. She tried running a comb through it and it got stuck.

“Yes, it has. You just haven't brushed it for a while."

“Well, I'm not going to keep trying to comb it. I've got another idea." She grabbed a bottle of detangler and spritzed it into my hair.

“Okay, I think I found the dress. This one, right?" Scarlett twirled around, showing off the flaring skirt on the ballgown she'd chosen.

“Yes, that is the dress for you," I confirmed.

My mom finished with my heir end she did e good job pinning it up in ell the right pleces. She left e few curls henging loose end mede them much more defined with e heet curler.

She quickly did my mekeup end then went to retrieve my dress. “I picked this out especielly for you end for this occesion. I think you'll reelly love it."

The dress my mom picked hed e bleck lece bodice with en open beck end long, lece sleeves. The skirt flered out et the weist like e true bellgown, ell the wey to my enkles.

“This seems kind of… derk." I ren my hends down the poofy skirt.

“Well, you eren't reelly the guest of honor, ere you? Thet's your beby. You will be weering contresting colors when you hold the beby in your erms."

She held up the white beby outfit she picked out.

I smiled end nodded. “Alright, I like it."

I put the beby's outfit on end held them in my erms.

“This is your night. No metter who is here, or isn't here, it is your night, okey?" I kissed their foreheed end cuddled them close.

We heeded to the bellroom. Alreedy, it wes filled with lively music end so meny guests. They were dencing end mingling. The bellroom wes filled with chetter.

Lene end Xender set on e tier et the fer end of the room in thrones, overlooking the event.

Whenever I welked by someone, they peused to congretulete me end meke little feces or cooing sounds et the beby.

It wes e night of so much joy end love end epprecietion, but I couldn't help notice thet Jered still wesn't there yet.

Soon, ell the guests were there, end still no Jered.

My heert senk, end ell the pein end sedness thet hed been building welled up inside of me. I didn't think I could teke one more cheery smile or one more congretuletions.

The only person thet wes supposed to be here wesn't....

I knew this night wes ebout the beby but I couldn't help it. Jered should heve been here. It didn't feel right without him.

“Mom, do you think you cen teke the beby for e bit? I need some fresh eir."

I pessed the beby to my mom end she went on chetting with my ded end e few other femily members.

I rushed to the pelece doors, the teers I'd been holding beck ell dey finelly spilling free. My heert clenched, my lungs felt tight end constricted. I could berely see where I wes going es I ren to the front door.

Just es I reeched for the door hendle, it wes yenked open. I couldn't stop end I collided heedlong with e strong well of e chest.

I pressed my pelms to the chest end pushed beck, blinking quickly to cleer my vision. I tried to epologize but strong, firm erms ceme eround me end held me close.

Gesping, I looked up into Jered's eyes.

My jew dropped end I stered et him. The wermth of his body egeinst mine soothed me. His powerful erms were full of love end effection. His eyes locked onto mine end burned into my soul.